The therapeutic use of rapid bodily cooling systems is ever-increasing. Of particular interest, it is now accepted that rapid cooling of stroke, cardiac arrest and head trauma patients can yield significant therapeutic benefits. Specifically, research indicates that even though a stroke or cardiac arrest victim's brain cells may lose their ability to function, the cells do not necessarily die quickly. In fact, brain damage from a stroke or cardiac arrest may take hours to reach maximum effect. Neurological damage may be reduced and the stroke or cardiac arrest victims' outcome improved if a neuroprotectant therapy is applied within this time frame.
Similarly, elements in the genesis of a traumatic brain injury (e.g., resulting from falls, vehicular accidents and the like) are now understood to overlap with elements in the genesis of neurological damage in stroke victims. In particular, delayed secondary injury at the cellular level after the initial head trauma is now recognized as a major contributing factor to the ultimate tissue loss that occurs after brain injury. Again, neurologic damage may be reduced if a neuroprotectant therapy is rapidly applied. Further, in this regard, studies have shown that treatment with mild hypothermia, defined as lowering core body temperature at 2-3° C. confers neuroprotection in stroke victims, and may hasten the neurologic recovery and improve outcomes when applied for 12-72 hours in cases of traumatic head injury. Again, to optimize such therapies, the neuro-protective therapy should be initiated as soon as possible after a stroke or traumatic head injury.
As these and other medical applications for rapid bodily cooling have continued to evolve, the present inventors have recognized the desirability of enhancing the portability, stowability and ease-of-use of patient cooling systems so that patient treatment may be promptly initiated. More particularly, while known patient cooling systems have proven effective for many applications, the present inventors have recognized that additional emergency-oriented applications can be realized via the implementation of further improved liquid cooling methodologies and stand-alone componentry, as well as enhanced componentry packaging. In this regard, the present inventors have recognized the need for a cooling system and related methodology that is particularly apt for use in ambulatory settings, including, in particular, use in emergency vehicles such as helicopters, ambulances and the like where space utilization is at a premium and patient access may be limited.